hacktivist

hacktivist

(HACKer acTIVIST) A person who demonstrates against a company or government agency by malicious technological means. Examples are causing a website to fail or slow down, or breaking into a computer system to obtain unauthorized information. In 2011, after MasterCard, Visa and PayPal cut off service to Wikileaks, hacktivists set up denial of service attacks against their websites. Hacktivists promote free availability of information on the Internet and may protest when actions inhibit this freedom. See hacker, Silk Road and denial of service attack.

9, 2014, a hacktivist group called "Operation Ferguson" who claimed to be part of Anonymous protested the incident over the internet through a Twitter account and a website they set up for the purpose.

The Verisign iDefense "2016 Cyberthreats and Trends Report" stated, "Hacktivism may experience a relative rejuvenation of collaborative hacktivist campaigning, following, comparatively speaking, a very quiet year in 2015.

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